‘A twist of fate led to this opportunity’ - The story of Islay’s first rum distillery - and its award-winning distiller
Known around the world for its whisky, Islay is also home to an award-winning rum distillery. Rosalind Erskine spoke to head distiller and distillery manager, Ben Inglis, about how a twist of fate led him to make rum on Scotland’s whisky isle.
When you think of Islay you may think of peated whisky from the famous whitewashed distilleries of Laphroaig, Lagavulin or Ardbeg, but since 2022 Islay has been home to a fully functioning rum distillery.
Housed in a former lemonade factory, across the road from the imposing Port Ellen Maltings, the Islay Rum distillery is run by head distiller Ben Inglis, who has recently been named Distiller of the Year at the Spirits Business Awards. Of this win he said: “This award means a great deal to me personally, but it also belongs to the whole team. When we first ran the still in 2022, we had no idea where it would take us.
“Making rum on an island so closely tied to whisky was always going to mean doing things our own way, while also living up to the reputation for quality that Islay has built over centuries.”
It’s a testament to Ben’s hard work and passion for rum that he’s won the award, but it was a chance meeting that got him into the role he’s thriving in today.
He explained: “In 2017, Brian Crook and his son Andrew, owners of The Vintage Malt Whisky Company, acquired the disused Old Lemonade Factory in Port Ellen. Along with Brian’s daughter, Caroline James, they could see the building had potential but weren't sure what that looked like yet.
“When I was introduced to them, things clicked into place quickly. I’d grown up on Islay with a fascination for distilling, and a dream to make rum here, so the timing was right for all of us.
“Together we set about transforming the art deco old factory into Islay’s first rum distillery, bringing a new spirit to one of the world’s most revered distilling landscapes. Our aim was simple - to make a rum that genuinely reflects the character, heritage and craftsmanship of Islay.”
The old lemonade factory has a place in the heart of Islay history, and in restoring it there was a certain serendipity, as Ben explained: “The building was built by Harold Hastie in 1959 and was home to Hastie’s Lemonade Factory. At its peak it produced 15,000 gallons of lemonade a year, supplying Islay, Jura and Colonsay.
“Before the factory opened, local shopkeepers had to order soft drinks from the mainland in bulk, gambling on a whole summer's demand in one go. Harold solved that problem with a local business that went on to become an island institution.
“With the introduction of canned soft drinks and better transport links to the mainland, lemonade production slowly declined, and the factory became a distribution centre for soft drinks before its eventual closure.
“When it was purchased in 2017, the building was falling to pieces. We found old newspaper clippings about the search for the sweetest spring on the island, which felt apt. Water is everything in Islay distilling. What made the restoration particularly meaningful was that it was Scott Hastie, grandson of the factory’s original founder, who carried out the work, bringing the story full circle while celebrating Islay’s spirit of rural enterprise.”
Known for its whisky, Ben could’ve easily gone down the well worn path of whisky distilling on Islay, but he’d always had a fascination with rum. Born in the Borders, he lived on the Isle of Luing until a move to Jura when he was three, before Ben’s family settled on Islay in 1996.
He said: “Growing up on Scotland’s whisky isle, I developed an early fascination with distilling and vividly recall being captivated by the aromas and the sense of magic surrounding the stills. After leaving school, I worked on fishing boats and at a local builder’s merchant, but I was always interested in pursuing a career in distilling.
“Although whisky was all around me, it was rum that truly captured my imagination. I began experimenting at home, exploring expressions from around the world and infusing my own ingredients to create unique flavours. Through this, I discovered how different regions produce distinctive rum profiles, sparking my curiosity about what a rum made in Scotland might be like.
“I learned all about the rum-making process and studied how terroir and climate influence production. A few years later, a twist of fate led to the opportunity to realise my ambition of creating a rum distillery on Islay and forging a new chapter for the island's distilling story.”
With so many whisky tourists to Islay, how does Ben entice them to try rum? The character of Islay is a good start, as he explained: “One of our expressions I'm particularly proud of is The Original Islay Rum Barrel Aged. Maturing the spirit in casks that once held peated Islay single malt was a deliberate choice to root our rum in the island's heritage.
“On the nose there is light smoke, green banana, caramel and leather. On the palate, sweet vanilla, sea salted caramels, more light smoke, and estery tropical fruits with a slightly medicinal edge and coastal salinity. The finish is long and mouth-filling, reminiscent of a much older spirit. It’s a balanced rum that creates a natural bridge between rum and whisky, offering something both familiar and distinctive for whisky drinkers exploring the island.
“Our goal has always been to create a character-driven spirit that reflects the individuality of Islay and its heritage of outstanding malts. Bringing a rum to the table with as much flavour and nuance as any whisky is the ultimate ambition, not only to put Islay on the map for rum, but to establish The Original Islay Rum as part of the island’s growing portfolio of world-class spirits.”
Since they’ve been in production for four years, the time is nearing for some age statements, which has been a goal of Ben’s. He said: “We’re working towards older releases. We’ve been continuously maturing spirit since we started, and we’ve released only a fraction of what we have sitting in casks.”
As for any new exciting plans for 2027, Ben said: “We’d also love to do more single cask releases depending on what we have available each year. Ultimately, it comes down to looking at our stock and seeing what’s ready. If a cask isn’t ready to release, we won’t release it. The quality of the spirit has to come first, but we have such a variety of barrels maturing, that we won’t be short of options.
“As well as working on new product development we're also working on developing our visitor experience. At the moment, we have a very open-door policy. People can drop into the distillery, say hello, and have a look around. We like keeping things relaxed and welcoming.
“As the brand grows, we’d like to establish a more formal programme of tours and tastings. We’ve now got our warehouse, and further down the line we’d love to add a shop and a dedicated tasting room. But these things take time, and we want to get the right setup in place rather than rush into it.
“We're also continuing to build our presence at the annual Fèis Ìle, which attracts whisky and spirits lovers from all over the world and we're currently shaping our tasting experiences for next year.
“It matters to us because Islay is home. As we grow, we want to keep creating skilled, long-term jobs on the island and give visitors another reason to come and explore. Anyone passing through Port Ellen is welcome to drop in and say hello.”
That chance meeting has led to an award-winning career and a chance to put Islay rum on the map of Scottish spirits, as well as running a welcoming and sustainable business on the thriving whisky island - no mean feat.
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